The ice giant about to disappear from the Peruvian Andes: "It could affect thousands of economic activities"

The dramatic melting of the Yanamarey glacier, a majestic ice giant in Peru's Cordillera Blanca, serves as a critical warning sign about the accelerating impacts of global warming on our planet. Our research, published in Annals of Glaciology, reveals that this vital ice mass has shrunk by over 80% in less than seven decades, a stark testament to the profound changes occurring in the tropical Andes.

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Se ha podido evidenciar en estudios previos existentes que este glaciar viene retrocediendo de manera progresiva y constante.

As scientists like biologist Cinthya Bello Chirinos from the Universidad Científica del Sur have documented, the progressive disappearance of Yanamarey is directly linked to rising global temperatures. The continuous measurements since the 1970s show a devastating decline, with the glacier's surface area shrinking from 1.12 km² in 1972 to a mere 0.22 km² by 2020. This alarming trend is exacerbated during El Niño events, which bring intense solar radiation, further accelerating ice loss.

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Durante estos procesos, justamente, se presentan períodos de radiaciones bastante intensas, lo que, además, contribuye con la pérdida de masa de hielo a nivel superficie.

The implications for Peru are immense. The Andean glaciers are crucial water sources for agriculture, hydroelectric power, and human consumption. The projected disappearance of Yanamarey within the next twenty years threatens not only the unique biodiversity of the Huascarán National Park but also thousands of economic activities dependent on glacial meltwater. This is a local crisis with global ramifications, and it underscores the urgent need for climate action, a message that resonates deeply here in Peru, where the tangible effects of climate change are a daily reality.

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Lo que se prevé es que en las próximas dos décadas este glaciar desaparezca.